Protecting data centres from lightning and surges

Data centres rely on the optimal performance of equipment, and surges can cripple operations. Data centre operators need to effectively manage these energy spikes, as recovering from the resultant downtime or hardware damage can be very costly. Across the continent, Dehn Africa’s expertise provides surge protection for data centres, against various potential causes. According to the company, there are two main types of risk when it comes to data centres and electrical power surges. These are: lightning strikes (both direct and indirect hits); and switching surges (which can be internal, potentially caused by the switching of a cooling system’s inductive load or possibly generator switching over from utility supplier, or external, coming in from the utility itself). Because there can be catastrophic consequences for a direct lightning hit, it is common for data centre designers to opt for lightning protection installation, regardless of whether the normal risk procedure requires it or not. The main challenges in implementing surge protection measures involve coordinating how to implement all the aspects of lightning and surge protection from the beginning of the project.